143rd Week, Joshua Intro - Chapter 4

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Click on title for Video Introduction


Monday, Joshua Intro
Joshua 
Intro
Tanya Ruden

THOUGHT
Joshua - What Big shoes he filled!! The intro to my Bible states he leads the people into the Promised Land taking over where Moses ended. We have often heard so much about Moses and his leadership of the people out of Egypt and what a leader he was. Although I don’t recall him being remembered for winning in battles, we do remember what struggles and challenges he had as a leader of a people who wanted to be free yet whined and complained and seemed to lose faith so easily.

Not so sure I would want to ‘fill’ Moses’ shoes. It states Joshua was a brilliant military leader who submitted to God. It will be neat to see how Joshua listened to God and how he was rewarded for that ‘listening’.  We need to observe our own ‘listening’ ears when it comes to God speaking to us.

PRAYER
Lord, as we begin our study of Joshua keep our hearts open to what You want us to learn and hear from this book. There are so many great leaders in the Bible and so many lessons to be learned from each of them. Guide us to what You want us to learn from Joshua and help us apply his situations and lessons to our everyday life. AMEN


Tuesday, Joshua Chapter 1
Joshua 1
Verse 7
Tanya Ruden

Verse 7:  Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.

THOUGHT
I thought the footnotes in my Bible were great so I am sharing them.
“Many people think that prosperity and success come from having power, influential personal contacts and a relentless desire to get ahead. But the strategy for gaining prosperity that God taught Joshua goes against such criteria. He said that to succeed Joshua must (1) be strong and courageous because the task ahead would not be easy (2) obey God’s law and (3) constantly read and study the Book of the Law - God’s Word. 

To be successful, follow God’s words to Joshua. You may not succeed by the world’s standards, but you will be a success in God’s eyes, and His opinion lasts forever.  How are you doing at obeying God’s Law? How are you doing at staying in the Word? Whose standards are you measuring your success by?

PRAYER
Lord, so often we measure our success by standards of the world. Help us to measure ourselves by Your standards. Help us to obey Your law and keep our eyes on You through studying Your Word. May we always take any task as a strong and courageous disciple. AMEN


Wednesday, Joshua Chapter 2
Joshua 2
Verse 15
Tanya Ruden

Verse 15:  So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall.

THOUGHT
I bet you are wondering why I picked this verse? Well, I thought it was interesting what this verse tells us about Rahab and the type of people God uses in His work. My notes say that Rahab was a prostitute and because of that profession she lived on the edge of society, one step short of rejection. She was a highly unlikely person for God to use in His ministry.   Not only did He use her but He also protected her family from harm.

It shows that God has a special plan for all of us, no matter how unworthy we feel and how much we may feel that God can’t possibly use me. If God can use Rahab, He can definitely use us to further His kingdom and His purpose, and He definitely has a plan for us.

PRAYER
Dear Jesus, thank You for using all kinds of people in Your ministry, even those we sometimes feel are unworthy.  Help us to see our use in Your Kingdom and do as You have planned for our lives and Your purpose.  AMEN


Thursday, Joshua Chapter 3
Joshua 3
Verse 9
Tanya Ruden

Verse 9:  Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.”

THOUGHT
Once again I am going to take some hints from my footnotes of my Bible.  Their excitement was high, and they were anxious to cross into the Promised Land.  Just before crossing into the Promised Land Joshua gathered the people together to hear the words of the Lord.

What a great reminder for us - to take time for God, even in our excitement. I am thinking - what a great focus for their excitement. Sometimes when we get too excited, we need to take that focus to calm down and not get too ‘silly’. I think this is a great verse to read before I head to New York because I am so excited.  However, I need to stay grounded and focused and not allow outside sources to influence my behavior.  I need to allow God to be the focus.

PRAYER
Dear Jesus, thank You for Joshua’s example of keeping priorities in the mist of excitement and for keeping focused.  So often we want to charge into what we want, which like Joshua may be a part of Your plan, but we need to do it in Your time with You in mind. Help us to take that time for You - keeping You the focus. AMEN


Friday, Joshua Chapter 4
Joshua 4
Verses 1-3
Tanya Ruden

Verses 1-3:  When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, ”...take up 12 stones...carry them over with you and put them where you stay the night.”

THOUGHT
Once again another great example of Joshua listening to what God wanted him to do and taking time for God. Again God stalls their ‘entering the Promised Land’, this time to build a memorial for HIM.  Again God is helping the people to keep their focus on the proper thing and the reason for their task. 

Do you think the people felt anxious about this task or do you think they enjoyed the ‘break’ to focus and worship? I sincerely hope their hearts were in the moment and not anxious for the future. As you busy yourself doing your God-given tasks, set aside quiet moments, times to build your own memorial to God’s power. Too much activity may shift your focus away from God. Let’s try to not get so much activity that we lose our focus.

PRAYER
Dear Jesus, thank You for the study of Joshua. I am excited to be learning from an example of a man who took time to gather his focus and keep You at the center of each of his tasks. Help us to follow this example and keep our focus on You in all of our activities.  When we feel too ‘busy’ to make time for You, may we remember Joshua entering the Promised Land.  AMEN









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